History
Dr. Charlotte Green Schwartz established spouses&partners@mit in 1972. At that time, she worked as a psychologist and a researcher at MIT Medical. Her research revolved around internationals at MIT and how their needs were met and how they integrated into the MIT community. During her studies, she recognized the need for a support group for the wives of students, post docs, and visiting faculty. She wanted to give these women a group that they could call their own, where they could meet other women in the same situation. She called the group the "Wives Group", which was changed in 2000 to spouses&partners@mit. Today the group is open to anyone who has a partner connected to MIT, regardless of whether they are a wife, husband, girlfriend or boyfriend.
The purpose of spouses&partners@mit is to help newcomers to adjust to their new life at MIT and its surrounding area. The one thing all members have in common is that they all are here because of their spouse's academic career or commitment to MIT. For many this means a huge life change, and some of our members struggle with the feeling that in the U.S., they are defined solely by their role as a wife or husband, rather than the multiple roles they filled at home, such as a daughter, a friend, and/or a professional. Since its start in 1972, the purpose of spouses&partners@mit has been to make this transition a little bit easier by assisting and encouraging spouses to build both social and professional networks.
In order to fulfill its mission, spouses&partners@mit concentrates on four different activities:
- Regular Meetings: By organizing weekly meetings, interest groups, trips and annual events, spouses&partners@mit creates opportunities to make new friends and to build a social network.
- Resources & Referrals: spouses&partners@mit can help members participate in MIT activities and in the larger community - pursuing career goals or their education, learning English, volunteering, parenting, or enjoying cultural events and activities.
- Information: Through the weekly meetings, newsletter and website, spouses&partners@mit keeps its members updated on spouses&partners@mit, MIT, current important topics, and information especially for newcomers.
- Professional consultation: spouses&partners@mit works as a support and referral system for its members, from answering a question about where to buy groceries to providing support and assistance.
